Dear Sun Spots: A few months ago an article was published in your paper about “Hearing-aid coverage OK’d.”

The article noted that the Legislature approved a bill requiring insurance companies to cover the cost of hearing aids for people who have a documented hearing loss.

The bill allows companies to limit coverage to $1,400 per hearing aid every 36 months for those older than 21, with unlimited coverage for those younger.

My husband cannot seem to find out that our insurance covers anything like that, and we are wondering where we can get the information validated?

Could you please help? Thank you. – B. Farrington, No Town.

Answer: In addition to responses from readers, according to the state Web site, Ch. 452 – An Act To Require Health Insurance Coverage for Hearing Aids. (S.P. 537, L.D. 1514) was signed by the governor and became law June 28, 2007.

The summary of the bill posted online notes:

The bill requires health insurance policies, contracts and certificates to provide coverage for hearing aids for persons under 21 years of age whose hearing loss has been documented by a physician or licensed audiologist. The provisions of the bill apply to all policies, contracts and certificates issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2008.

Amendments to the bill include: coverage for the purchase of a hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear for an individual covered under the policy or contract who is 18 years of age or under in accordance with: hearing loss must be documented by a licensed physician or audiologist; hearing aid must be purchased from a licensed audiologist or licensed hearing aid dealer. In addition, the policy or contract may limit coverage to $1,400 per hearing aid for each hearing-impaired ear every 36 months.

And it requires health insurance policies, contracts and certificates issued or renewed on or after Jan. 1, 2008, to provide hearing aid coverage from birth to 5 years old, beginning Jan. 1, 2008; from 6 to 13 years of age, beginning Jan. 1, 2009; and from 14 to 18 years of age, beginning Jan. 1, 2010.

For more on this bill, please consider checking out the state’s Web site at www. janus.state.me.us. But please note that this coverage is for children, 18 and under. Not adults.

Your husband might consider contacting the Maine Center on Deafness, MCD, 68 Bishop Street, Suite 3, Portland, ME 04103, 797-7656.

In the meantime, Sun Spots notes that civil rights program lawyers for the group are participating in several study or work groups set up by Maine lawmakers. These groups will report shortly to the Legislature on:

• LD 1055, An Act to Establish the Hearing Assistance Program for Low-income Persons Who Are Elderly or Disabled.

• LD 740, An Act to Promote the Safety of Deaf and Hard-of-hearing Drivers.

• LD 1901, A Bill to Establish a Deaf and HOH Children’s Educational Bill of Rights.

Dear Sun Spots: I am looking for wool sweaters for various projects. They can be torn or have holes in them.

Thanks to all the readers who responded to my last request for cloth. It will be well used. I may be reached at 897-2506 or 779-7911. – Ruthann LeBlanc, Livermore.

• The reader interested in a program for retrieving lost keys (Thursday’s column) might consider contacting the National Key Recovery Service at www.nkrs.biz/services, National Key Recovery Service, P. O. Box 78457, St. Louis, MO 63178-8457, 314-385-8663, Toll Free: 1-877-GET-NKRS or e-mail [email protected].

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